Leggings for horses are well known in the art. These devices fall into two general categories: 1. leggings which are specifically designed to both strengthen and protect the lower legs of the horse from injury, and 2. garments which protect the lower legs from horse flies. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,246,100 illustrates an elastic horse sock for jumping and race horses. The purpose of the invention is to strengthen and brace the fetlock joint and tendons of a horse to prevent it from being injured and breaking down. The horse sock comprises a band of elastic webbing capable of being stretched longitudinally and laterally allowing the sock to stretch and conform to the leg. The upper and lower portions of the sock gradually diminish in diameter causing the sock to firmly grip the leg. A zipper is used to close the sock once it is put on the horse. U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,269 shows a protective device that can be used for protecting the fetlock of a horse. The invention has a plurality of juxtaposed layers of resilient and shock absorbent bubble pack material located within an outer covering. The bubble pack material cushions blows or forces applied to the protected areas. In one embodiment, hooked and looped fastening material, such as sold under the trademark VELCRO, is used to hold the device around the horse's leg. U.S. Pat. No. 4,342,185 discloses a protective garment for the leg of a horse having a flat flexible pad which folds to encircle the leg and is secured in position by hook and loop fasteners with straps on one side edge of the pad cooperating with strips on the other side edge. The pad consists of an outer layer of nylon reinforced PVC, a central layer of foam, and an inner layer of imitation fur. U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,564 shows a net having an elongated rectangular panel of fiberglass netting which wraps around the front leg of a horse to prevent flies and other insects from alighting. The net is secured to the leg just above the knee by the use of a hook and loop fastener with the remainder hanging down to a point just above the hoof. The net can be installed and removed easily and quickly, and, once in position, does not inhibit the movement of the horse.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show another prior art fly netting 500 which is commercially available for the lower leg 600 of a horse. FIG. 1 is an outside open plan view and FIG. 2 is a side elevation view. Fly netting 500 has a rectangular piece of plastic netting 502 surrounded by a border 504 of polar or felt fleece. Three straps 506, 508, and 510 and three strips 512, 514, and 516 of cooperating hook and loop fastener material are used to wrap and secure the fly netting around the leg. Because of its flaccid construction, fly netting 500 tends to droop, buckle, and cling to the leg of the horse when heated by the sun and the body heat of the horse. The fly netting 500 then allows insects access to the leg and may bind and catch on the fetlock and coronet areas of the leg thereby irritating the horse.